FROM THIS EPISODE

The Republican National Committee is reaching out to Latinos—especially in California. Statewide, the Party is at an historically low ebb, but the Latino voting population gets larger with every election. We’ll hear several opinions about the GOP’s chance for success with the state’s fastest growing voting bloc.

Also, Governor Brown wants to reduce the prison population. Why did he veto a bill giving prosecutors discretion to charge misdemeanors instead of felonies for possession of small amounts of illegal drugs?

The Republican National Party is spending 10 million dollars to reach out to Latinos, and the blue state of California presents an especially tough challenge. Pete Wilson was re-elected Governor by trashing illegal immigration in 1994 and that’s political history that has not been forgotten.

Some prison reformers claim that California prisons are overcrowded in part because so many inmates are sentenced for nonviolent drug crimes that don’t harm other people. Senate bill 649 would have given prosecutors discretion to charge misdemeanors, instead of felonies, for drug possession. Over the weekend, Governor Brown vetoed the measure. David Siders covers state politics for the Sacramento Bee.